Critics: Java Standards Proposal Substandard

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Critics: Java Standards Proposal Substandard

A proposal by Sun Microsystems to put control of Java under an international standards group has hit a snag, after heavyweights such as Microsoft, Intel, and Hewlett-Packard voiced their opposition.

Critics say Sun isn't really giving up control over the prized language; that many elements in the proposal need to be clearer; and that a committee, not a corporation like Sun, should be in charge of submitting specifications for the language.

Over the past week Microsoft, Intel, H-P, Texas Instruments, Apple Computer, Lucent Technologies, Digital, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and the National Committee for Information Technology Standards all stated their opposition to Sun's plan. They joined Compaq, which had announced its own opposition to Sun's plan early in April. The companies rushed to place their comments, which are posted on the standards group's Web site, by Tuesday's deadline.

Even IBM, which positioned itself as Sun's only industry ally by supporting the proposal, said some clarification was needed. The Department of Defense supported Sun's plan.

Sun's plan was unveiled in March, when the company, under fire from Microsoft for keeping too much control over Java, proposed to relinquish control of the language. In official jargon, Sun asked to be recognized as the submitter for Publicly Available Specification of Java technology before the International Organization of Standards/International Electrotechnical Commission Joint Technical Committee 1. That would put Sun in the position of evaluating, defining, and submitting specifications for Java to the standards body.

Not surprisingly, the strongest words against the proposal came from Microsoft.

"Microsoft believes that Sun's application as submitted ... demonstrates that Sun wishes to retain full ownership and control over its Java specifications while simultaneously reaping the benefit of an ISO/IEC standard for its proprietary technology," wrote Brad Silverberg, a senior vice president at Microsoft.

But Sun said that not only is it committed to open standards but that the market would pressure Sun to live up to that commitment.

Some believe Sun is already cooperating with others in moving Java forward. "Java as a platform is emerging as a coordinated effort among its major licensees," said David Gee, who heads worldwide Java marketing efforts for IBM. "I don't believe at all that it is proprietary. The API are being developed by the licensees in conjunction with Sun."

But opposition to the way Sun has proposed to set up the standards may already have turned the tide against Sun. "When you see a half-dozen people being very vocal against it, I don't think it is going to pass," said Bob Mathis, who heads a Java study group under the ISO. Mathis, who stressed he wasn't speaking on behalf of the ISO, said Sun could modify or clarify the proposal to garner more support for it.

The comments, along with the proposal, will be put together by the International Electrotechnical Commission Joint Technical Committee 1 and will be discussed and voted on during a three-day meeting in early June, said Jennifer Garner, the committee administrator. The vote, which is likely to be accompanied by comments, only represents the United States' position on the ISO/IEC. More than 27 other countries will cast their votes independently. The final tally will be taken in July.